Rejoice, therefore, my brethren, when you fall into the like circumstances; as knowing, that you are therein partakers of the sufferings of JESUS CHRIST. Consider, that it is necessary such inward trials should come, to wean us from the immoderate love of sensible devotion, and teach us to follow CHRIST, not merely for his loaves, but out of a principle of love and obedience. In patience, therefore, possess your souls, and be not terrified by Satan’s suggestions. Still persevere in seeking JESUS in the use of means, though it be sorrowing; and though through barrenness of soul, you may go mourning all the day long. Consider that the spouse is with you, though behind the curtain; as he was with _Mary_, at the sepulchre, though she knew it not. That he has withdrawn but for a little while, to make his next visit more welcome. That though he may now seem to frown and look back on you, as he did on the _Syrophenician_ woman; yet if you, like her, or blind _Bartimeus_, cry out so much the more earnestly, “JESUS, thou Son of _David_, have mercy on us;” he will be made known unto you again, either in the temple, by breaking of bread, or some other way.
But amongst all the devices that Satan makes use of, “to get an advantage over us,” there is none in which he is more successful, or by which he grieves the children of GOD worse, than a
_Fourth_ device I am going to mention, his troubling you with _blasphemous, profane, unbelieving thoughts_; and sometimes to such a degree, that they are as tormenting as the rack.
Some indeed are apt to impute all such evil thoughts to a disorder of body. But those who know any thing of the spiritual life, can inform you, with greater certainty, that for the generality, they proceed from that wicked one, the devil; who, no doubt, has power given him from above, as well now as formerly, to disorder the body, as he did _Job_’s, that he may, with the more secrecy and success, work upon, ruffle and torment the soul.
You that have felt his fiery darts, can subscribe to the truth of this, and by fatal experience can tell, how often he has bid you, “curse GOD and die,” and darted into your thoughts a thousand blasphemous suggestions, even in your most secret and solemn retirements; the bare looking back on which makes your very hearts to tremble,
I appeal to your own ♦consciences; Have not some of you, when you have been lifting up holy hands in prayer, been pestered with such a crowd of the most horrid insinuations, that you have been often tempted to rise off from your knees, and been made to believe your prayers were an abomination to the LORD? Nay, when, with the rest of your christian brethren, you have crouded round the holy table, and taken the sacred symbols of CHRIST’s most blessed body and blood into your hands, instead of remembring the death of your Saviour, have you not been employed in driving out evil thoughts, as _Abraham_ was in driving away the birds, that came to devour his sacrifice; and thereby have been terrified, lest you have eat and drank your own damnation?
♦ “consciencies” replaced with “consciences”
But marvel not, as though some strange thing happened unto you; for this has been the common lot of all GOD’s children. We read, even in _Job_’s time, “That when the sons of GOD came to appear before their Maker, (at public worship) Satan also came amongst them,” to disturb their devotions.
And think not that GOD is angry with you for these distracting, though ever so blasphemous thoughts: No, he knows it is not you, but Satan working in you; and therefore, notwithstanding he may be displeased with, and certainly will punish him; yet he will both pity and reward you. And though it be difficult to make persons in your circumstances to believe so; yet I doubt not but you are more acceptable to GOD, when performing your holy duties in the midst of such involuntary distractions, than when you are wrapped up by devotion, as it were, into the third heavens; for you are then suffering, as well as doing the will of GOD at the same time; and, like _Nehemiah_’s servants at the building of the temple, are holding a trowel in one hand, and a sword in the other. Be not driven from the use of any ordinance whatever, on account of those abominable suggestions; for then you let Satan get his desired advantage over you; it being his chief design, by these thoughts, to make you fall out with the means of grace; and to tempt you to believe, you do not please GOD, for no other reason, than because you do not please yourselves. Rather persevere in the use of the holy communion especially, and all other means whatever; and when these temptations have wrought that resignation in you, for which they were permitted, GOD will visit you with fresh tokens of his love, as he met _Abraham_, when he returned from the slaughter of the five kings; and will send an angel from heaven, as he did to his Son, on purpose to strengthen you.